The HIVE Tasting Room & Kitchen -- Woodland, CA (event space and food purveyor)

When I think of a tasting room, I don't tend to think of great food as well. But great food was what I was looking for when I stumbled upon this establishment. This was not quite a restaurant, not quite a store and not quite a place where one would think honey, mead and a place to have a nice wedding would be. But this was exactly what I found. Located in an industrial area at 1221 Harter Avenue, I almost thought I came to the wrong address, due to the industrial location, until I walked in.

The two-acre venue has an outdoor space speckled with free-flowing, yellow-blossomed trees, covered and uncovered seating areas, an indoor honey and mead tasting room, a kitchen and a retail space. With several businesses in one location, I was very impressed with how seamlessly every aspect blended together. I ended up taking home a couple bottles of mead and had a fantastic lunch that was ordered at the counter and brought out to me while I basked in the serene pollinator garden. For the environmentalist in me, I loved the fact that the entire garden was organically grown, the electrical components were mostly solar powered, and efficiency was kept in mind during the building and planning of operations.

https://thehivewoodland.com/


Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.



Raspberry Sparkling Session Mead. At 6% ABV, this had just enough body to wake up my taste buds and the aromas of the fruit and honey were prominent without tasting overpowering or artificial. It had a nice backdrop of sweetness to bring out the fruit, but someone who prefers more sweetness may not enjoy this as much. For me, it was perfect. The gentle bubbles would make this a nice beverage for a casual occasion or no occasion at all. This was highly drinkable. 

Honey Wine. This was a non-bubbly mead and was very delicious. At 10.5% ABV, one glass was just fine for me. The description was "dry" but for my palate, there was a subtle sweetness, and the floral and citrus notes allowed this wine to pair very nicely with seafood. I would describe it as well balanced, and the golden color was very appealing.

Crab Arancini & Spicy Calabrian Aioli. These reminded me of the arancini I enjoyed in Rome, Italy. These risotto croquettes were coated in breadcrumbs and fried until crisp on the outside. The risotto was moist and mixed with blue crab claws, sauteed shallots, mozzarella, chives, pecorino romano, and served on a bed of fresh clover sprouts that added a nice vegetal contrast to the savory flavors. The drizzle of calabrian aioli was creamy and had just enough acid and spice to add another depth of flavor to each bite.

Spinach & Ricotta Boureka. This savory puff pastry was filled with wilted spinach, caramelized shallots, ricotta, feta, and California Coriander Honey, one of their specialty honeys. The pastry was thin, but still flakey and buttery. The filling was perfectly seasoned, and it all paired nicely with the fresh, spicy arugula. 

Bumble Beet Salad. This impressive-looking salad was a mountain of mixed greens, cooked beets, raw portobello mushrooms, creamy goat cheese, fresh clover sprouts, toasted almonds, fresh spring bee pollen, and a side of house made green goddess dressing (blended fresh herbs and olive oil). Each bite was a little different with a flavorful mix of all the components. The fresh bee pollen, which was my first, was a very nice, sweet and floral fragrant touch.

Argentinean Beef Empanadas. Another fantastic stuffed item. The ground beef filling was juicy, mixed with green olives and seasoned properly. The house made green chimichurri was not overly garlicky, and it's always nice to have some fresh arugula to help cleanse the palate. 

Coconut Crusted Tiger Shrimp. This bed of fresh arugula was topped with crisp, juicy, plump, freshly fried shrimp. The lemon honey roasted garlic and turmeric aioli was the perfect dipping sauce for this dish.

This place has become a destination in Woodland. I am still marveling at how impressed I was at every aspect of this delightful gem.